Nova Scotia RCMP apology: A good start  

In 2019, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission released the Halifax, Nova Scotia: Street Checks Report, also known as the Wortley Report. The Report confirmed that Black people in Nova Scotia were nearly six times more likely to be stopped for street checks than their representation in the general population would predict.  

Five years since the Report, the Nova Scotia RCMP has now issued an apology to African Nova Scotians and all people of African Descent in Nova Scotia for this history of systemic discrimination and introduced a five-point Action Plan to address Anti-Black Racism in policing in Nova Scotia.  

The apology and action plan are important steps in the right direction, because they acknowledge the wrong that has been done and begin the process of repair. The Canadian Race Relations Foundation appreciates the leadership of the steering committee consisting of African Nova Scotian community members from across the province, in collaboration with Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley and the Nova Scotia RCMP, in achieving this milestone and developing this Action Plan.   

“This apology is long overdue,” said Assistant Commissioner Daley. “In my opinion, there’s no valid reason why an apology has not been issued before; we’ve disrespected the community.”   

Anti-Black racism is pervasive in Canadian institutions, and attitudes take a long time to change. There remains significant need for policy change to address anti-Black racism in Canada, including the banning of street checks from all policing. Only by supporting Black communities through initiatives like the Black Justice Strategy and working together will we be able to overcome it.